Empowering coal regions in Australia – Delivering an enduring legacy from the Clean Energy Transition

Ageing coal fired power stations, extreme weather events, international political pressure and the dramatic reduction in renewable energy costs are forcing governments globally to prioritise the transition away from polluting fossil fuels towards a clean energy future.
Blessed with an abundance of natural resources and talent, Australia is supremely well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by this transition. Yet our economy depends heavily upon the royalties generated by fossil fuel exports primarily to China and India.
At a regional level, many communities hitherto reliant on coal are similarly concerned about their future and the absence of a clear and agreed transition plan.
This Churchill Fellowship research calls for urgent action from both Commonwealth and State Governments to address this critical deficit and catalyse the creation of regional transition plans led by local communities. To inform this conversation, this research shares the collective wisdom of more than 60 actors from coal regions in Canada and the European Union (EU) already immersed in the energy transition, albeit at different stages.